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| Nigeria -the most popluated country in Africa |
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| Ari and new convert |
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| Medical Clinic Staff |
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Please click on Pastor Ari's wonderful Relief work Report!
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Grace Fellowship Africa (GFA) - Nigeria Field report by Rev. Ari Mai Sule Biu
Our Primary Ministry goal is to reach out with the word of God to the "M" and Pagan peoples group in north eastern Nigeria. It is interesting to note that my father is a convert from "I" and my mother from Paganism. Both my father and mother came to Christ as a result of their encounter with some Christian Medical Missionaries early in their lives. For this reason Medical Missions has been my hearts desire, and is the major route we have for evangelism. We established our hospital over ten years ago, and we have used our local Church as our operational headquarters. In addition to the Hospital and the Church, we also operate internet Cafe and a Computer Training Institute. By this, and by implication GFA Nigeria operates under the following organizations : -
1. Grace Brethren Church of Nigeria - GBCN
2. Mai Taimako Medical Mission - Hospital Biu
3. Pangea Computer Technology Training Institute
4. Pangea Internet Cafe
Hospital
We have ministered to hundreds of unbelievers through the Hospital and have shared the Gospel to many people, we have treated hundred of people who could have other wise not been treated else where because of lack of money. During these years, it has not been without difficulties and hardships. We have gone through difficult times with the Government in the way of it imposing heavy and sometimes illegal taxation and on several occasions, on issuing of operational licenses etc. Then we have other difficulties in renting our facility year after year. As a result of all these we have resolved to raise money and buy a Property which we can own in the future. We thank God for using the hospital to positively touch the lives of many, we are just planning to introduce a Hospice attached to the hospital so that we can Minister and if possible lead the obviously dying and in most cases abandoned HIV/AIDS Patients to Christ, before their time of death.
CHURCH
We have five Evangelists working full time. All have been trained as bare-foot Doctors and this enables them to carry medical kits while on evangelism trips, we have two of them sent to a Bible school. During these years we have trained over seven hundred and fifty (750) Christian Pastors layman and women in various disciplines ranging from Evangelism to the "M", spiritual formation, Bible interpretation, Church planting Evangelism and discipleship among others.
Because of the numerical growth in the Church, we have recently built another Worship center to contain more people. We thank God and praise Him for the increase of His Church. We have ten people presently ready for Baptism. In addition to the ministry functions and responsibilities I have Pastored this Church for upward 12 years.
WORKERS
We have on our working list the following: -
a. Hospital 1 - Dr. Amos Peter Ujulu - Medical Director
2 - Mr Samson Locksha
3 - Hamza Mshelia
4 - Isa Adamu
5 - Adamu Ibrahim
6 - Maryamu Yakubu
7 - Kayanga Bwala
8 - Liatu Gadzama
9 - Sidi Garba
10-Mary Benjamin
11-Rhoda S. Garba
12-Mr Dauda Mbaya
13-Isah Adamu
14-Jija Ibahim
15- Uztaz Ibrahim
16- Kenan Sarijo
17- Haske Bukar
COMPUTER TRAINING
a. Suleman Ari
b. Abraham Stephen
c. Abubakar Mohammed
d. Samson Haruna
e. Alpha Jandong
f . Abel Kuebo Guy
INTERNET CAFE
a. Joshua Madu Garkida
b. Samson Sunday
c. Ganaka Ari
CHURCH/ EVANGELISM
a. Mallam Bukar Shibra
b. Audu Kwajaffa
c. Daniel Wudiri
d. Mallam Yahonna Dogari
e. Zabura Ibrahim
Our workers are divided into three classes, one being the hospital workers who are professionals over 90% of them are Christians and the rest none believers. All of our hospital workers have at one time or the other received Evangelism training with the exception of the few who are not believers while the training has been optional. Then we have the GFA class which Comprises, Suleman Ari, Alpha Jandong, Ganaka Ari, Abel Kuebo Guy, Tambaya Ari and Mary Ari. As a matter of fact, these officers are in one way or the other leaders of our over all operations, for example Suleman is in addition to being the leader of GFA, he is the overall General Administrator of the hospital. Similarly Ganaka in addition to being a member of the GFA is also the head of the internet cafe. All the members of the GFA group are also on the list of our teaching staff in the training school. Also Mary Ari doubles as my assistant and control finances in addition to being secretary in the Church. Then the other class of our workers is the Evangelism group. This group works with me very closely, as it is the engine room of our Mission. They help in the Church and lead the hospital Chaplaincy and the Outreach Ministration. All the staff in this group are Christian leaders, they are also trained as barefoot Doctors, so that when they go out Evangelizing, they carry with them medical Kits to help treat their converts when there is need.
SITUATIONS
The Hospital has been our Major route of our outreach and it has continued to remain so maintaining the standard of the hospital to meet the Government requirement and most especially a role model hospital has been on the decrease and I feel sad about this, most of our equipment and facilities are old and needed urgent replacement. We also continue to face the challenge of rent every other year and urgently needed our permanent facility so that we can own it and develop it accordingly.
Most of our staff have desire to stay with us permanently but some times some of them do feel that their future is shaky considering the increased cost of meat, and the astronomic rise in thecost of living in our country along with the lack of proper retirement benefit arrangement on our part.
Our activities in the church have been very encouraging in spite of many difficulties which include persecutions within and without. Church growth demands persecution but the most worrying to me is the rate at which false gospels are being proclaimed i.e. gospel of prosperity, gospel of miracles e.t.c which have relatively shifted people away from seeking salvation to seeking material and worldly things. The Problem of denominationalism is also tearing the Church apart - we would like to partner with Churches especially in Europe and America so that we can belong together. It will help the Churches in Nigeria, particularly Northern Nigeria which is largely a "M" populated areas where we live in a society where even our Civic rights are denied us i.e. Land to build Churches, Homes, Our Missionary buildings, the worst being a society where our children are denial their rights to good education.
We have these people on our local Board of Directors, Which is however presently being reconstituted.
1. Mr. Zacharia Mamman
2. Mrs. Elizabeth Zoaka
3. Mrs. Naomi C.T. Yerima
4. Mr. James Wanta
5. Mr Amos Luka
6. Mr Samson
7. Mrs Mary Ari
8. Mr Suleman Ari
It is sad that most of the members of our Board are highly well to do by Nigerian standard and educated yet despite my persistent explanations of the Volunteer nature of this service, which they initially accepted from the beginning, still go round behind and complain for lack of some incentives and I am not always happy about this. They have certainly advised us in the right directions over the years, but their support has never been in the area of material, financial resources or otherwise. With our present reorganization and plan to include other Nationals from Americans on our Board, may be they will understand and come to terms by understanding the role they are expected to play and we also need to pray for this.
EXPENDITURES
Our total expenditure covers salaries, rent, administration, transport and communication, water and electricity, taxes, orphans, widows and my family running cost including health, house rents and children's education. These put together far supersede the total income and we are most of the time in deficit and trust the Lord for provision.
I, personally feel the work has been started strictly under Gods guidance, so there is no going back. I plan to continue with our programs as numerated above and increase on same in the following year. I want to increase in our training of Christian laymen and women. I also sincerely desire to more firmly establish a HIV/AIDS Hospice where we can keep and disciple abandoned and dying HIV/AIDS Victims. It touches my heart to see these patients abandoned by their parents, families and friends in the pretext that such person has committed unforgivable sin. We will develop part of the Hospital to do that and I will need help from GFA America and GFA South Africa if possible in the area of advice since they have similar project.
I am very happy to come to work with GFA and wish to convey our entire people's happiness to come to work and partner with GFA and to express our excitement and preparedness to work with GFA in all our programs in the year 2009 and the years ahead. So my plans for the year 2009 includes:
1. Working with GFA we have much to learn and from her.
2. Training more Evangelists
3. Update hospital equipment, secure a new building, and establishment of full time Hospice
Please pray for us to be able to continue with the work and for God to fill us more with the spirit of boldness so we can do some of these things in spite of negative life threats. Pray for my health and that of all our workers and also pray for our financial and material needs for the work.
May God help us and be with us as we work to advance His Kingdom by bring the Gospel to the people for their Salvation.
Rev. Ari Mai Sule Biu
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